The Unani system of medicine originated in Greece but was introduced to India by Arabs and Persians in the 11th century. Today, India has the largest number of Unani educational, research, and healthcare institutions globally. Unani medicine is based on the theory that the human body is composed of four elements - earth, air, water, and fire - and four humors - blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Practitioners diagnose illnesses by examining pulses, urine, stool, and through other physical examinations to determine humoral imbalances or functional issues. Unani medicine specializes in treating skin, digestive, mental, sexual, gynecological, and neurological disorders.

1. Unan
i
Prepared By
Pooja Khanpara
Asst. Professor
APIP, Jamnagar

2. • The Unani System of Medicine has a long
and impressive record in India.
• It was introduced in India by the Arabs
and Persians sometime around the
eleventh century.
• Today, India is one of the leading countries
in so for as the practice of Unani
medicine is concerned.
• It has
the
educational,
institutions.
largest
numbe
r research
and
of
Un
ani
car
healt
h

3. Origin & Development of Unani System
• Unani system originated in Greece
• Hakim Ajmal Khan IS UNANI physician
but also one of the foremost freedom fighters
in the country. He established an
Ayurvedic and Unani Tibbia College
and Hindustani Dawakhana – a
pharmaceutical company – for Ayurvedic

4. • Today the Unani systemof medicine with
hospitals and educational and
research institutions, forms an
integral part of the national
health care delivery system.

5. • Principles & Concepts
• According to the basic principles of Unani
the body is made up of the four basic
elements i.e earth ,air, water, fire which
have different temperaments i.e. cold, hot,
wet, dry. After mixing and interaction of
four elements a new compound having new
temperament existence.

6. • Th
e
body has the simple and
compound
organs which got their nourishment (
The substances necessary for growth,
health, and good condition ) through four
humours i.e. blood, phlegm, yellow bile
and black bile.

7. • The humour (put into a good mood) is
also assigned temperament as blood is
hot and wet, Phlegm is cold and hot,
Yellow bile is hot and dry and Black bile
is cold and dry.

8. • Phlegm is cold and hot ( Thick, sticky,
stringy mucus secreted by the mucous
membrane of the respiratory tract, as
during a cold or other respiratory infection).
• Yello
w
bile is hot and dry (A yellow,
o
r alkaline in
greenish, viscid fluid,
usually
reaction, secreted by the liver. It passes into
the intestines, where it aids in the digestive)

9. • Black bile is cold and
dry
• (a humor that was once believed to
be secreted by the kidneys or spleen
and to cause sadness)

10. • Unan
i
medicine believes in promotion of
health, prevention of diseases and cure.
• Health of human is based on the six
essentials
• Atmospheric air
• Physical activity and rest
• Drinks and foods
• Sleep and wakefulness
• Excretion and retention
• Mental activity and rest

11. • The human body is considered to be
made up of the following seven
components are:
• i. Elements (Arkan)
• ii. Temperament (Mizaj)
• iii.Humors (Akhlat)
• iv. Organs (Aaza)
• v. Spirits (Arwah)
• vi. Faculties (Quwa)
• vii. Functions (Afaal)

12. Elements (Arkan)
• Th
e
human body
contains
four element
s.
(earth ,air, water,
fire)
• Eac
h
of the four elements has its
own
temperament as follows:
• Element Temperament Air Hot and Moist
Earth Cold and Dry, Fire Hot and Dry,
Water Cold and Moist

13. Temperament (Mizaj)
• In the Unani system, the temperament of
the individual is very important as it is
considered to be unique. The individual’s
temperament is believed to be the result
of the interaction of these four elements.

14. Humors (Akhlat)
• Humours are those moist and fluid parts of
the
body which are produced after
transformation and metabolism of the
aliments; they serve the function of
nutrition, growth and repair; and
produce energy, for the preservation
of individual and his species.

15. • The humors are responsible for
maintaining moisture of different organs of
the body and also provide nutrition to the
body.

16. Organs (Aaza)
• These are the various organs of the
human body. The health or disease
of each individual organ affects the state
of health of the whole body.

17. Spirits (Arwah)
• Ruh (Spirit) is a gaseous substance,
obtained from the inspired air, it helps
in all the metabolic activities of the body. It
is the source of vitality for all the organs of
the body.
• These are considered to be the life force
and are, therefore, important in the

18. • These are the carriers of different
powers, which make the whole body
system and its parts functional.

19. Faculties (Quwa)
• These are of three kinds:
• Natural power (Quwa Tabiyah)
• Natural power is the power of metabolism
and reproduction. Liver is the seat of this
power and the process is carried on in
every tissue of the body. Metabolism is
concerned with the processes of nutrition

20. • Nutrition comes from the food and is
carried to all parts of the body, while
growth power is responsible for the
construction and growth of human
organism.

21. • Psychic power refers to nervous and
psychic power. It is located in side the
brain and is responsible for perceptive
and motive power. Perceptive power
conveys impressions or sensation and
motive power brings about movements
as a response to sensation.

22. • Vital power (Quwa Haywaniyah)
• Vital power is responsible for maintaining
life and enables all the organs to
accept the effect of psychic power. This
power is located in the heart. It Keeps
life running in the tissues.

23. Functions (Afaal)
• This component refers to the movements
and functions of all the organs of the body.
• In case of a healthy body the various organs
are not only in proper shape but are also
performing their respective functions.
• This makes it necessary to have full
knowledge of the functions of the human body

24. Diagnosi
s
• Th
e
Diagnosti
c
processin Unani system
is
dependent on observation and
physical examination.
• Diagnosis involves investigating the
causes of disease thoroughly and in
detail. For this, the physicians depend
mainly on pulse reading and examination

25. • The ten conditionsof pulse observed
during the diagnosis are:
• i. Quantity
• ii. Force
• iii. Duration of movement
• iv. Condition of the vessel wall
• v. Volume

26. • vi. Duration of the rest
period
• vii. Palpitation of the pulse
• viii. Equality and inequality
• ix. Balance of the pulse
• x. Rhythm

27. • Physical examination
• Is carried out by the diagnosis of
urinogenital disorders, pathogenesis of
blood and other humors, metabolic
disorders and liver diseases.
• The following observations of urine are
made:
• Colour
• Consistency
• Clearness and turbidity
• Odour
• Foam or froth
• Precipitates
• Quantity

28. • The examination of stool, its colour,
quantity, consistency and the presence of
foreign body help very much in the diagnosis of
various diseases.
• Besides the means of pulse reading and
physical examination of urine and stool, other
conventional means such as inspection,
palpitation, percussion and occultation are

29. Strenght of Unani
• Unani system of Medicine has
very remarkable strength in the
following disorders:
• Skin disorders
• Digestive disorders
• Mental disorders
• Sexual disorders
• Gynecological disorders
• Neurological disorders